Simon Barrow

The status quo based on monopolistic politics and dominating religion is being challenged as never before, says Simon Barrow. This creates fresh and energising opportunities for cooperation across received 'religious' and 'secular' divides for a new era, and requires a new Christian vision too.

The 2010 General Election campaign has been more volatile and interesting than anyone could have predicted, and the outcome now sits on a knife-edge, says Simon Barrow. But whichever way it goes, there is an opportunity for genuine, ground-up, civic based change. We must not ignore or miss it.

The media isn't someone or something else, it's also us, says Simon Barrow. He goes on to examine the challenge of truthful communication in a PR-driven world, and to offer a picture of what authentically Christian communication might look like.

The hype around Lib Dem chief Nick Clegg has been extraordinary in the wake of the first UK election Leaders' Debate, says Simon Barrow. But is this all froth, or does the shift it seems to signal represent something deeper for reform and a renewed politics?

The likely outcome of the General Election is another victory for 'Lablibservatism', the dominant three-way economic and political status quo, says Simon Barrow. Yet cracks are showing and the possibility of a hung parliament could make deeper change possible.

As the predicted politicking gets underway across Britain today, Simon Barrow argues that underneath and beyond General Election 2010 is a much more important 'ethics election' on who we are and what really matters for people, peace and planet.

Jesus' affirmation of one woman's extravagant generosity and his comments about abiding poverty are not about forsaking justice for individualistic charity, says Simon Barrow. Quite the reverse. They signal the in-breaking of a new order of being and living in a divided world.

The tit-for-tat pre-election game of ‘what’s your poison?’ has got off to a rattling start, says Simon Barrow. From the lobby correspondent system to the domination of the big parties, politics needs fixing - not yet another 'fix'.

Politics and personality have always been intertwined in the modern era, says Simon Barrow. The increasing glitz and media saturation makes it even more necessary to look past image towards substance - as in religion, too.

What people are learning through hungering for justice is that trying to come up with policies for a better world is not enough, says Simon Barrow. We need changed people to want them and to make them work. That involves re-shaping our desires, not just our political hopes. At its best, that is what fasting is all about.